Circuit-breaker for controllers.



No. 632,516. Patented Sept; 5, I899.

W. H. CONRAD. CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR CONTROLLERS.

(Application filed May 17, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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lVILLlAM H. CONRAD, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCUIT-BREAKER FOR CONTROLLERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,516, datedSeptember 5, 1899.

Serial No. 717,136. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. CONRAD, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Circuit-Breakers for Controllers, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention has relation to a circuitbreaker fora car-controller, andin such connectionit relates particularly to the construction andarrangement of the circuit-breaker for said purpose.

The principal object of my invention is to provide, in conjunction witha controller for electric-motor cars, a circuit-breaking device adaptedto automatically break the circuit through the controller when theamperage becomes too great, whereby the use of fuses and the burning orblowing out of the same and the consequent damage to the controller andits parts are avoided.

My invention, stated in general terms, consists of a circuit-breaker fora controller constructed and arranged in substantially the mannerhereinafter described and claimed.

The nature and scope of my invention will be more fully understood fromthe following description, taken in connection with the accoinpanyingdrawings, forming part hereof, in which- Figure l is a top or plan viewof a controller for electric-motor cars. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionalview of the upper portion of the controller, the circuit-breakerembodying main features of my invention being illustrated in sideelevation. Fig. 3 isa horizontal sectional view, enlarged, of thecontrollingcylinder and the circuit-breaker applied thereto; and Fig. 4is a front elevational view of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, (t represents the cap for the top of thecontroller, and a the frame or casing. Within the frame a is arrangedthe controlling-cylinder l), the shaft b of which projects above the capa and is adapted to be turned by the controller-handle b Thereversing-cylinder d and its accessories, including the handle cl, areof the usual well-known construction. The controlling-cylinder b is madeup of a series of contact-disks b carried by the shaft 1) in theordinary manner, and revolves against a series of contact-fingers Z),forming the terminals for one pole of the circuit. Against the uppermostdisk b in the series instead of the usual linger Z) is adapted to pressthe free end of a contact-spring c, the other end of which is secured,as at e, to a box f, located within the casing or frame a and preferablybelow the cap a. Within the bony a conductor f of one pole of thecircuit is coiled about an iron core f which when energized sufficientlyis adapted to attract an armature g, carried at one end of a latch g,pivoted to the box. Ontside the box f is also pivoted an arm h, forminga continuation for the coil f and having a projection k adapted toengage the latch g and to be locked by the latch against the tension ofa flat spring 7L3, normally tending to throw the arm h outward away fromthe box f, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. The free end 7% of thearm 7L when the said arm is engaged by the latch g is adapted to presson the free end of the contact-spring e, which normally rests on thecontact-disk b to complete the circuit. The armature end 9 of the latchg is normally kept from the core f by means of a pin it, held under thetension of a spring is, preferably coiled within the center of the corej. The tension of the spring may be regulated by the adjusting-screw sothat the armature 9 cannot be attracted by the core f until the amperageof the current passing through the coil of the core becomes abnormal.When the magnetic coref actuates the armature g, the latch g will bewithdrawn from the projection b of the arm h, and the said arm will thenbe thrown outward and its free end 7% will be released from the free endof the contact-spring c and the circuit broken. The arm h is providedwith an insulated knob or projection it by means of which the arm 71 maybe pushed inward to cause its projection 7r to again engage the latch gand to complete the circuit when its free end it rests against thespring-contact c.

Having thus described the nature and object of my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An automatic circuit-breaking device for a controller, comprising aspringcontact normally resting on a disk of the controller-cylinder, anarm forming a continuation of one terminal of the circuit, a latchnormally adapted to lock the arm to the s iiringcontact, and a magnetlocated in the circuit of the controller and adapted to operate thelatch to release said arm from said contact, substantially as and forthe purposes described.

2. In a device of the characterdescribed, a controlling-cylinder and itsdisks, a springcontact resting against one of said disks, an arm adaptedto press against said contact to complete the circuit, a magnetincludedin the circuit of the controlling -cylinder, a latch adapted to beoperated by said magnet, a projection on said arm adapted to engage thelatch to lock the arm upon the spring-coir tact, and a springnormallytending to release the arm from said spring-contact, substantially asand for the purposes described.

3. In a device of the cha *acterdeseribed, a eontrolling-cylinder andits disks, a springcontact resting against one of said disks, an

arm resting on said contact to complete the circuit, and means includedin the circuit of the controlling-cylinder for releasing said arm fromsaid spring-contact when the current becomes abnormal, substantially asand for the purposes described.

-I-. In a device of the character described, a controlling-cylinder andits disks, in combination with an arm adapted to complete the circuitthrough one of said disks and means located Within the circuit forautomatically operating said arm to break said circuit, substantially asand for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence oftwo subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM II. CONRAD.

Witnesses:

J. WALTER DOUGLASS, THOMAS M. SMITH.

